Sunday 21 April 2013

Gluten Free Cupcake Recipe



Here is my Gluten free cupcake recipe. It's very easy to make and they turn out lovely, you would hardly know the difference.
Just Add a bit of buttercream to decorate.



Friday 19 April 2013

Baking


One of my biggest hobbies is baking. I've always loved baking and think it's just something that runs in my family. A lot of my family bakes, Grandparents, parents, Aunty's, sisters, the lot. Most of what I have learnt over the years have come from my Mam. When I was little she would make wedding cakes. She has always made us birthday cakes and her brown bread gets baked almost daily still. A few years ago my older sister found out she was Celiac, this means she cant have gluten ( wheat, barley, rye....) It was really difficult at the time to find a lot of gluten free foods such as pizza (that didn't fall apart before baking it), Pies, breads, cakes and basically anything. So over the years I've tried out recipes but never completely successful. This is why I started to work out my own. It really thought me lots about different ingredients and measurement and how to create recipes. I don't just bake gluten free I also bake with gluten, but not for my sister. I like to bake for family events and friends. I do get asked from time to time to make certain cakes for different people. Her are some of the cupcakes and cakes that I have made over the last year or two. 

Cupcakes





Cakes



My younger sister also bakes and has even started to make tutorials on You Tube you can find her HERE. She is hoping to start her own baking business in the future.

More information about my cakes and cupcakes can be found on my baking blog called Neads Kolourful Cakes. I have even entered one of my cakes into a competition on facebook to see how to vote for it click HERE. I will also start posting yummy recipes on my blog including Gluten free recipes so keep and eye out if you are interested in trying anything new out. 

Wednesday 17 April 2013

NOTD



What I used


Y.C.C nail enamel 114
Essence colour & go quick drying nail polish 21 Fabuless


I love glittery nails and really love this black and silvery one. I bought it a while ago at a beauty show but have only used it once or twice. I also got it in blue and a similar one in pink which I like to use all the time. I used the Essence nail polish first as a base then applied two coats of the Y.C.C glittery polish. I've used the Y.C.C polish before without using the black underneath and it didn't look as good. The Essence quick drying polish is actually quick drying which is great since I've bought some others before saying they where quick drying but they look forever to dry. I have been wearing it all day and even done the washing up and a bit of food preparation and it still has yet to chip .. this makes me very happy :) .


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and on Pinterest here  PIN PIN 

Saturday 13 April 2013

Australia


The Story

I recently spent a month in Australia. I went with my sister and first flew to Sydney to stay with family. We had a very bumpy flight to Sydney and had a few delays as well as a diversion as we where low on fuel and couldn't land in Sydney, then had to refuel and go back. Well a bit late but we got there and our Aunty, Uncle and two of our Cousins where there waiting for us. As soon as we got to the house we had dinner and a few drinks . It was lovely to finally be in their house and drinking a beer and continuing where we left it in June when Brian had come to Visit haha. After a week we travelled to Brisbane and stayed in a hostel there for ten days. We where sad to leave and go back to Sydney as we where having so much fun but we had a ball as soon as we got back to Sydney. We stayed in the city for a night before heading back to where our family lives outside the city. The weather was gorgeous and everything went great everything but my cousin who  fell in the first week we were there and broke her ankle. It was a bad break and very pain full so she had to keep it up and take it easy for awhile. We did have a great time relaxing and taking it easy with her and got to spend a lot of time with her as she was unable to attend school. I got to hold a Koala at the sanctuary in Brisbane. We went the day before we left there with one of our room mates that was also from Ireland. When in Sydney we went to palm beach or "Summer Bay " haha. We are big home and away fans so where very happy. We went for a family bike ride with one of my cousin and my uncle. It was a great day I've always wanted to go on a bike and so had my sister so we really enjoyed it. Paddy's day was on the last weekend we where there and we all went out to a local place for it that was holding a big event. It was a great day and night and the cocktails where great too ( jugs of sex on the beach yuumm). We also went to the aquarium on one of our last days and saw sharks and lots of other fish that I didn't even know about. We even saw penguins :). They where so small and cute. I wanted to take one home with me. That same day we went to a pie place about an hours drive from where we where with our cousin and his friend then to an arcade. It was very sad leaving after the month was over and the journey home was so long, but I definitely think I would like to go back for the years working visa. I know I would enjoy it as much as I did this time so now I just have to save hard and figure out when I can go. 


The Pictures




.... More Pictures



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Wednesday 10 April 2013

Yummy Green Smoothie


This is my smoothie that I like to have for breakfast I'm trying to be a bit more healthy lately so trying to have it everyday. I would make it all the time until my blender broke a while back but thankfully my Mam and Dad got me a new one for my birthday. I am a bit devastated to think that I've gotten to a stage in my life where a kitchen appliance as a birthday gift is a perfect idea. I was actually delighted to get it haha. It may look strange but it tastes lovely so I've decided to share the recipe. It is really easy to make and makes a lot so if you would only like a taste only use half of what I suggest.

Green Smoothie

1 small cup ( I use a tea cup) Green Tea
Two hand fulls of spinach 
One hand full of strawberries (I use frozen but fresh is also great)
One hand full of pineapple diced
One small banana (I use the kids size or a half of a big one)

Make the green tea as the instructions say and let cool..
Add the spinach and green tea to the blender and mix until smooth and not lumpy.
Add the strawberries and blend again. It may change colour slightly but that's ok.
Now add the pineapple and the banana and blend until it is creamy and smooth. 
Ice can be added to make it really cold but as I use frozen strawberries I don't add any.
Pour it into a nice tall glass and enjoy with a straw.





Tuesday 9 April 2013

Vovs Jewellery



Vovs Jewellery is a new jewellery blog run by Siobhán. She has been making jewellery since she was a child and trained as a silver and gold smith. Since creating her blog in January 2013 it has had almost 5000 hits and a nice following of almost 50 followers. She has been published in two magazines so far this year which you can have a look at here in the blogs Scrapbook. Vovs jewellery is also taking part in an event called "Bead soup blog party" started and run by Lori Anderson. Vovs jewellery has also had a tutorial posted on Craft Gossip. The blog is full of tutorials to help beginners and other jewellery makers learn new skills. More of vovs tutorials can be found on Cut Out and Keep and on You Tube.

Here is some of the jewellery made by Vovs Jewellery that has been made for me and that I love.

The gold Gossip Girl inspired necklace



Find out the inspiration, ideas,bead searching and how it was made  HERE .

Purple Glass Pearls


Find out the story behind this piece and how it was made HERE

Byzantine Bracelet


You will find a tutorial for this bracelet HERE and the story behind the making of it HERE .

Gorgeous Pearl Necklace 




Check out Vovs jewellery blog for fantastic tutorials and lots more. 
You can also find her on twitter here Tweet Tweet or pinterest here Pin Pin